Multifandom Oneshot Book

Please... Don't Go

He felt so weak. Josh could feel his wounds burning in the air, the warmth flowing out of him with his blood as it pooled beneath him. He could feel arms around him, tears falling lightly onto his face from his friend's sobbing. He heard Will's ragged breathing as he fought to speak through his tears. He smelt the metallic scent of his blood coating his and Will's clothes. He could taste it in his mouth. His vision was blurred, clouded, but he could just about make out Will's face. 

"J-josh... why? Why would you do that?"

"B-because I care about you, ya dingus. Y-you're my friend, the blue oni to my red, of course I'd do this."

Will was still in shock, still having trouble processing everything. They'd just been walking around, it'd been a casual trip to America for him to meet his friends and he'd been spending time with Josh. It'd just meant to be a casual day... but then.... then he'd heard gunfire, screaming, and he'd been thrown to the ground. He'd heard Josh trying to reason with someone, his voice gentle and patient, heard the voice get slowly fainter as Josh seemingly walked towards the gunmen. He had heard a stern voice demand something. Then he had heard words that would stick with him forever;

"Let them go. I'm a US Marine, I make a much more valuable hostage than civilians."

But Josh wasn't a marine. Well, he was, but only in the band. Will had never heard Josh lie before, what was going on? Suddenly he was hauled to his feet. He'd glanced in the direction Josh's voice had come from and saw a chilling sight; Josh was on his knees, his hands behind his head, multiple guns pointed at him. Josh had seemed to look right at Will, his eyes imploring the other to just leave, to forget him and get to safety.

But Will couldn't just leave. He couldn't just leave Josh to die. He'd dawdled as much as he could afford to while the other hostages were allowed to leave, feigning a limp, and then he'd turned back. He could see in Josh's eyes that the other had already figured out what Will was planning, Josh's eyes widened in alarm and he moved like a cheetah, getting to his feet and darting at Will. More gunfire had rung out, he'd been thrown to the ground again, and felt a body fall on top of him and blood splash onto his clothes. He turned and moved the body, a shout of anguish torn from his lips.

Josh..

And now he cradled his friend in his arms as he heard sirens get closer, trying and failing to hold back tears. Josh was one of his inspirations, one of his closest friends, and now he was dying in Will's arms after.. trying to protect him.  "J-josh... please hang on. Y-you need to hang on."

Josh smiled weakly "I'm not a quitter, Will. It'll take more than--" he stopped abruptly to cough, blood spattering his lips. "More than this to take me down." Another lie, he didn't believe his own words. It was shocking how easily this came to him when those he cared for were on the line.

But Will could tell this, too, was a lie. The amount of blood staining their clothes and spreading beneath Josh was more than a survivable amount to lose. "Josh... you're gonna be okay. The ambulance is coming okay. You're gonna survive this just hold on." 

Josh felt himself weaken more, he was losing blood quickly and the sirens didn't seem to be getting any closer. He began to feel lightheaded, drifting in and out of consciousness. "W-will... Will... y-you gotta promise me something.." another cough, "for if I don't make it."

Will gasped, "D-don't talk like that. Y-you're gonna make it. I know you are. You're so strong, stronger than anyone I know."

Josh cut him off. "Just promise me. Promise me you won't let this hold you back. Promise me that you'll put this behind you and make yourself a better man. You've got so much potential Will Allen, far too much to let something like this destroy you."

Will was lost for words, tears ran down his face as he just held his friend close, his body shaking with his tears. "I-I-I p-promise." he managed to stammer out. "B-but you gotta promise me you won't stop fighting."

Another weak smile shaped Josh's lips, "Of... of course. I'll keep fighting this, for you. Blue Oni gotta have his red after all huh?" But he could already feel himself slipping away as his eyes drifted closed.

"Josh... Josh no! PlEASE.. DON'T GO!!  Don't... don't go....."

"I need you..."